Valve



D. B. SMITH Jan. 7, 1936.

VALVE Filed Feb. 5, 1932 mney Patented Jan. 1, was

* UNITED; STATES PATENT OFFICE VALVE David Baker Smith, Loa Angel, Calif. Application February 5, 1932, Serial No. 591,067

9 Claims.

, as are commonly called flush valves."

In most flush valves now known to the art the flushing water is controlled by a valve member seating against a seat and the length of time such valve remains open is usually controlled by a dashpot or similar arrangement. Such valves are, in many ways, unreliable and unsatisfactory for the reason that solid matter carried in suspension in the flushing water often lodges on the valve seat, thus preventing a complete closing action; and the restricted passages in the dashpot device become clogged with such solids, which interferes with dependable operation. Also such valves often close with an objectionable sound.

It is an object of my invention to overcome these objectionable features, which I accomplish by providing a valve in the formof a flexible tube adapted to be opened by pressure in the main fluid line and closed and held closed by pressure I within a surrounding chamber in the valve body.

When my valve is closed, the flexible tube walls collapse so that their inner surfaces bear against each other. Thus if any solid matter should lodge against the inner tube wall, it will not affect the closing action since the flexibility of the tube permits of closing around the solid.

A further object is to eliminate vibration and objectionable soundssuchas usually attend flush valve operation; Also my device may be economically manufactured and assembled since very little machining of parts is necessary."

These and'other objects and accomplishments will become obvious from. the following detailed description of a particular adaptation, for which purpose I shall refer to the accompanying drawing, in which: I

Fig. 1 is a medial sectional view of my device,

the .valve being shown in closed position; Figs. .2, 3, 4, and 5 are sections on lines22,-

3-3, 4.4, and 5 5 of Fig. 1, respectively;

Fig. 6 is a medial sectional view of the by-pass tube;

' Fig. flis asection on line L-I of Fig. 6; and

Figs. 8, 9,;10, and 11 illustrate modifications of myinve'ntion ag V Referring tolthe drawing, B designates the body, which has an inlet chamber vIII, an annular lowerychamben-said chambers beingformed as hereinafter described, an-outlet-passage l2, a top closure plugsl3, a cap l4 and an .inlet l5 contudinally within a nected to the fluid Supply line. Annular inwardly projecting body portion l6 forms the bottom closure for inlet chamber l and the top closure for annular chamber ll,'and annular inwardly projecting body portion I'I forms the bottom closure: for chamber ll; annular shoulders Ilia and Ila being presented by body portions l6 and II, respectively, for the purposes to be described. y

A restricted by-pass I8 is provided through 10 member l6 for communication between inlet chamber l0 and chamber! l. Tube I9 is screwthreaded into opening l8 and projects upwardly into chamber III, a valve 20, in the form of a screw having a tapered slot and adapted to be 16 screwed in and out of tube l9, forming a control for the by-pass. Restricted opening throughbody portion ll communicates between chamber II and a valve chamber 26.- For convenience of assembly and to provide access to the valve ele- 20 ment, chamber 26 is closed by a plug 21 screwthreaded into body B. For releasing fluid from chamber I I, and consequently releasing pressure therein, I provide a cone-shaped valve member 30 winch seats against body wall 3| around opening 26 32 communicating between chamber 26 and out let l2. Valvemember 30 is mounted on plunger 33 by means of screw 34. Plunger 33 extends, by a loose fit, through opening 32, across outlet 12, through opposite body wall 35 into a chamber 30 36 which is closed by plug .37. 'A coil spring 38, surrounding the plunger and seating at one end against packing washer 39 and at its other end against a shoulder 40 on the plunger end, urges the valve into closed position. This valve mem- 35 her ismanually opened by operating lever 4|, which forces the plunger inwardly to move valve 30 off its seat.

Body cap I4 is held in position on the body by a screw Ma threaded into closure plug l3 and spacer 40 nut I4b. a

For controlling the main passage of fluid under pressure between inlet chamber l0 and butlet I2, Iprovide a tube '50 composed of some resilient material such as rubber and which is normally collapsed. This tube extends from inlet chamber In to outlet l2, its top end forming an annular flange 5| and its bottom end forming annular flange 52. The tube is mounted longisleeve 53, which sleeve is slotted at 54, 54a for the purpose to be hereinafter described, said sleeve slots communicating with chamber ll. Tube flange 52 is clamped and held in position between a ring 55, which rests on shoulder Ila,.and the lower end of sleeve It; and tube flange II is clamped between the top end of sleeve II and a sleeve I, which latter sleeve is screw-threaded into another sleeve H which in turn is screw-threadedly mounted in body portion It as shown at It. A packing washer Ola, between sleeve ti and shoulder Ila, provides a fluid tight flt of sleeve I against shoulder "a. Holes 83, four in number, in the top end of sleeve ll facilitate removal and replacement of the sleeve by a spanner wrench.

While flanged tube ends II and '2 are at all times held stationary in round shape by the clamping means described, when the valve is closed and the inner surfaces of the tube thus collapsed against each other, the movable pertion of the tube intermediate its ends, and particularly that portion at and adjacent the central intermediate portion, is flat, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the ends of the flat portion thus the tube resiliency tends to give uniformity to the collapsing action. when pressure within chamber II is relieved, however, the fluid underpressure passing through the tube from the inlet radially distends the tube walls towards the inner walls of sleeve "into a substantially round shape.

From the foregoing description, it will be observed that when valve II is closed. annular chamber ii is filled through by-pass II and, a relatively greater tube surface being presented within chamber Ii, the pressure within the chamber forces the tube walls together, against the "pressurewithinthetubatostopthepassageof fluid through the tube interior from inlet chamber II to outlet II. when valve ll is unseated 'sumciently to partially drain chamber II, the

pressure within that chamber is relieved and'the tubular valve II will remain open or distended until chamber ii is again fllled.

. quently setting up a certain amount of vibration.

I compensate for this unequal pressure distribution and eliminate vibration by providing a support or reinforcement for the lower end of the flexible tube, which functions to resist or delay closure or collapsing of the tube at and adjacent its lower end. I prefer to accomplish this by employing a pin ll, mounted on a bridge II, which bridge is carried by ring II. This pin projects upwardly into the outlet end of tube II and acts to resist or delay closure of the bottom portion of the tube until closing action sets in at ornearthecenterofthetubeortheportionofaoaaers the tube immediately above the projecting end 01 the pin.

While I illustrate this particular expedient as being preferable, I wish it understood that satis-' factory results obviously may be accomplished 5 by other means, such, for instance, as a fluted cone-shaped projection in lieu of the pin 1l,'by forming the tube walls at and adjacent its bottom end thicker and less flexible than at the top end, or by applying a reinforcing exterior covering around the lower end of the tube-such modiflcations being shown in Figs; 8, 9, 10, and 11.

In Figs. 8 and'9 I show, in lieu of the pin means II before described, a cone ll fluted as at II. In this modification, the inner tube walls adjacent the lower end of the tube collapse against the cone member when the valve is in closed position.

' While it will be understood that the end of eliminating the sagging of the tube-walls toward the discharge end and the consequent vibration resulting from such unequal collaps'e, may be accomplished by reinforcing the entire movable portion of the tube-walls or making them of a flexible material sufliciently thick or strong as to withstand the unequal pressure" distribution, and such, provision comes within the scope of the invention in its broader aspects, I flnd that the reinforcing or thickening of one'end only seems to amply'check such vibration and sag n For 'instancesuch provisionis showninl'igs. 10 and 11 now to be described.

In Fig.10 I show, as the reinforcing means. a thicker and less resilient end portion" of tube It. Here, the lower end portion of the tube belug-relatively less flexible than the top portion, a certain amount of resistance to closure of the tube at its lower end portion is effected.

Inl'lg. 11 thetubeisshownashavinganexterior covering II, which covering may be of any 40 suitable flexible material, but preferably being of a less flexible characteristic than the material of which the tube proper is composed.

While, for the purpose of giving a clear understanding of my invention, I have resorted to speciflc structural details, I wish it understood that my invention, in its broader aspects, is not conflnedtosuchdetaiis. RatherIwishittobe limited only as appears in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A valve comprising: an inlet and an outlet, a flexible tube throu h which said inlet and outlet are communicable with each other, the walls of said tube being normally collapsed against each other intermediate its ends to prevent flow 65 of fluid therethrough, means for distending the wallsofsaidtubetoutablishcommunicationbetween the inlet and outlet, and a pin member mounted independently of the tube and extendingintotheoutletendofthetubetodeiayeol-w lapsingofthetubewallsfromthedirectionof the discharge end.

2. Avalvecomprising: abodyhavinganinlet and an outlet, a flexible tube forming a eway between the inlet and outlet, a substantial portion of said passageway intermediate its ends being unobstructed so that the tube walls along said unobstructed area may collapse against each other to close the eway, pressure applying means to distend the tube walls for opening the 4 w eway, pressure applying means to collapse the tube walls against each other along the 1mobstructed w: my area to close said passageway, means ior relieving said last mentioned prssure for a predetermined period, and a mem- 76 7. In a flush valve, abody having an inlet and ber mounted independently of the tube and extending'into the outlet end thereof to resist collapsing of the tube walls from the direction oi. the said outlet end.

3. In a'valve 'havinganinletand an outlet, a

flexible tube adapted to pass fluid under pressure fromsaid inlet-to said outlet, saidtube having aportion or which the opposite walls are movable into'distended position-bythefluid pressure within the tube and, by application of external pressure, movable to collapse on'each other-against said fluid pressure within the tubepmeans for applying and releasing said external pressure, and a sleeve surroundin /said tube, which sleeve.

has a longitudinal d undercut slots through which slots said last-named pressure is communicable with thetube exterior.

- 4. In a valve having aninlet [and an outlet, a

flexible tube adapted to pass fl-u'id under pressure from said inlet to said outlet, said tube having a portion of which the opPOsite walls are movable into distended position by the fluid pressure within the tube and, by application of, external pressure, movable to' collapse on each other against said fluid pressure within the tube, means for applying and releasing said external pressure, means associated with the movable tube-walls to resist collapse thereof adjacent said outlet, and a sleeve surrounding said tube, which sleeve has longitudinal and undercut slots through which said last-named pressure is communicable with the tube exterior.

{5. In a flush-valve having an inlet and an outlet communicable through a collapsible flexible tube, a rigid tubular member surrounding said flexible tube and havingdiametrically opposed longitudinally "extending and undercut slots through the walls thereof through which slots a portion or the tube wall projects when the tube is in collapsed condition.

6. In a flush valvehaving an inlet and an outlet, a'flexible tube through which said inlet and outlet are communicable and which communication is adapted tobe opened and-closed by distensionand collapseoi thetube-walls, said collapsible tube-walls being pre-Iormed in a shape substantially oval in transverse cross-section, and a sleeve surrounding said tube, said sleeve having diametrically opposed, longitudinally extending and undercut slots through the walls thereof through which slots a portion of the tube wall projects when the tube is in collapsed condi-' tion.

:ternaliy applied pressure, movable to collapse on each other against the resistance of said fluid pressure within the tube, said collapse-resistance being greater adjacent the inlet than it is adjacent the outlet, said collapsible tube-portion being pre-iormed'i n a shape substantially oval in cross-sectionysaid sleeve having longitudinal slots through which said external pressure is communicable with the tube, means for applying and releasing said external pressure, and means associated with and supporting the movable tubewall portion to compensate for said unequal col- I lapse-resistance.

8. A valve comprising: abody having an inlet and an outlet, a flexible tube forming a passageway between said inlet and outlet, the walls of said tube being normally collapsed against each other intermediate its ends, a sleeve surrounding saidtube, said sleeve having longitudinal slots adapted to pass a portion of said tube when. said tube is collapsed, means for applying pressure through said slots to collapse the tube and means for releasing said pressure.

9. A valve comprising: a body having an inlet and an outlet, a: flexible tube forming a passageway between said inlet and outlet, the walls of said tube being normally collapsed against each other intermediate its'ends, a sleeve surrounding said tube, said sleeve having diametrically opposed longitudlnal slots through which a portion a of said tube wall projects when said tube is collapsed, said sleeve and a portion of the body wall forming .an annular pressure chamber the pressure from which is communicable-to the tube exterior through said sleeve slots, pressure means for distending said tube walls to open the passageway, means for applying pressure to said chamber and tube'exterior to collapse the tube walls against said tube-wall distending pressure and means for releasing said chamber pressure.

DAVID BAKER SMITH. 

